Sunday, May 31, 2020

As war approaches in 1939, Abby Stapleton’s safety is under threat. Her father, a British diplomat, insists she go back to America until the danger passes. Abby vows to return to her home in London—but where is home? With her family facing mortal danger so far away and feeling herself isolated, she finds it hard to pray or read the Bible. Did she leave God behind in war-torn London too? Abby becomes friendly with Jim, a gardener on her uncle’s estate.

Jim can’t get Abby out of his mind. Did she have a sweetheart in England? Was it foolish to think she’d consider him? He curses his poverty and the disgrace of his father’s desertion and drunkenness haunts him. Can he learn to believe in love for a lifetime and to hope for a happy marriage?

Abby couldn’t know the war would last a long time, nor that she would fall in love with Jim—soon to be drafted by the US Army—or that she’d have to confront Henri, a rejected suitor, determined by his lies to ruin her reputation and destroy her faith in God’s providence. Will she discover the true meaning of home and find happiness with Jim?

PAT JEANNE DAVIS has a keen interest in 20th Century United States and British history, particularly the period of World War II. Her longtime interest in that era goes back to the real-life stories she heard about family members who served during the war. When Valleys BloomAgain is a debut inspirational romance set in WWII. She enjoys flower gardening, genealogy research and traveling with her British-born husband. She writes from her home n Philadelphia, Pa. Pat has published essays, short stories and articles online and in print. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She loves to hear from her readers. Visit her at https://www.patjeannedavis.com

"WHEN VALLEYS BLOOM AGAIN" by PAT JEANNE DAVIS is a story about many things, WW11, relationships, struggling with faith and judging others because of their social status.

This book was hard for me to get into at first, Abby just seen to me not to be a strong person, whinning to her father. Her uncle was nice enough but he spoiled Abby and then her aunt , I didn't like her at all.

I did like that you got to read facts about the war from both America and England.

There is a fact that is mentioned in the book that isn't answered and I would like to see another book that addressed and reveals the how and why considering Abby's real mother.

The ending was sad, but I guess that is to be excepted since it is war.

I was given a complimentary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are my own.

A long lost child . . . and secrets that insist the lost remain lost! Word spreads through town about the genealogy researches of Shannon, Bailey, and Jessica. So far, it’s been a fun hobby and an eye-opening experience as they helped to solve two murders. But when old Mrs. Perkins, their Bible study leader, wants to hire Shannon and her husband Jayden to find her long-lost nephew, the couple soon learns that moving forward along the Perkins family tree may leave them dangling out on a limb . . . and someone is holding a saw!

Freelance writer, award-winning author, and professional speaker, leads religious retreats, workshops for churches and writer groups, and Bible studies. She writes regularly for several devotional publicationsand is on staff with Campus Crusades of Canada’s Power to Change digital ministry as editor and writer for The Life Project. Their websites help to lead thousands of people worldwide to know Christ, one mouse click at a time. Her own blog, Where Did You Find God Today?has readership in 52 countries.

Julie has published three Bible studies, a devotional, two inspirational guides, and has fifteen faith-based fiction novels published or contracted, including two cozy mysteries series, The Bunco Biddies Mysteries and the Relatively Seeking Mysteries. All can be viewed on her website:www.juliebcosgrove.com.

Awarded one of the 50 Writers You Should Be Reading by the Author’s Show in 2015 and 2016, and Best Religious Fiction 2016, Best Cozy Mystery 2017 by Texas Association of Authors, Julie was also an INSPY semi-finalist and a Grace Awards Finalist in 2016. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and the Christian Authors’ Network. She achieved the highest public speaking level in Toastmasters International, the Advanced Communication Gold, in 2015.

Julie is widowed and lives in Fort Worth, Texas where she is involved in mission and women’s ministries. She is a murder mystery aficionado—especially British ones—and loves word games.

"LEAF ME ALONE" by Julie B. Cosgrove is a book that I truly recommend but with a warning, It really made me cry. It is the third book in the series, but it was enjoyable as a standalone. I have read the first one but not the second one yet.

I really like the faith element in this book. This is a story of love and friendship and forgiveness. This book deals with hospice and it reminded me of my mom. This book's title really fits the story.

This is a story of two mysteries.

Why would someone not want to be found? Read this book and find out and you will be amazed once again that books can bring peace and joy to your life.

I was given a complimentary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are my own.

"Shattered by Death" by Catherine Finger is a book that literally kept me guessing who the bad guy was and then when it was revealed, it was hard to believe.

This is the second book of the series, but it is an enjoyable read. In fact, I have read the entire series out of order and it wasn't hard to follow alone as the plot are all different.

I like the faith element in this story. I love this quote "All I ask is that you bring your fears into the light. Remember, God is not a God of fear.But of peace and of power. Do you hear me? Our God is a God of love. And perfect love casts out fear. That's what I want for us...."

This book does deal with death and violence, but I still recommend this series because sometimes we have to be reminder that real life isn't all roses and sunshine. Don't get me wrong I don't want a lot of violence in the books that I read but sometimes you have to face reality.

I receive a contemporary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are my own.

About the Author

Catherine Finger loves to dream, write, and tell stories. Recently retired from a wonderful career in public education, she celebrates the ability to choose how to spend her time in a new way during the second half of life. So far, she chooses to write books, ride horses, serve others, and generally find her way into and out of trouble both on the road and at home. She lives in the Midwest with a warm and wonderful combination of family and friends.Capsized by Death, the fourth novel in her Jo Oliver Thriller series, will be released by Elk Lake Publishing in November 2019. Anchored by Death, the third of her Jo Oliver novels, was a Bronze Medal winner at the 2018 Independent Publisher Book Awards; a 2018 Selah Awards finalist; and a finalist for the National Indie Excellence Awards. Her second Jo Oliver Thriller, Shattered by Death, was a finalist in the International Book Awards and the National Indie Excellence Awards. Catherine and her novels have been featured on radio stations, blogs, and in numerous articles—all posted at www.CatherineFinger.com.
Catherine loves to interact with her readers at www.CatherineFinger.com
Follow her on Facebook at Catherine Finger, Author, and on Twitter at CatherineFinger@BeJoOliver.

More from Catherine.

“If you could kill someone and get away with it, what would you do? How would you do it?”
Having posed this question over dessert during a really good first date several years ago—to my surprise and delight my date proceeded to share a story about an international cosmetic gone badly awry. I was so taken with this story, that I couldn’t wait to get home and start writing. And I did. That night I sat down to write a scene between two powerful women, intending one to toy with the other by playing with a jar of deadly moisturizer as they interacted.
As I wrote that night, an unexpected scene involving spiritual warfare popped into my head and onto the screen. The edgy, scary, lock-your-doors-before reading story I called Shattered by Death was born.
While the moisturizer scene didn’t ultimately stay in the book, the idea of powerful women pitted against each other did. I strive to create antagonists that are as strong—or stronger—than Jo Oliver. When I feel the tension of wondering whether or not Josie is going to make it out alive—that’s when I know I’m in the middle of a great story.
I hope you think so too.
Enjoy the read!
Catherine

Saturday, May 30, 2020

About the Book

Book: The Story HunterAuthor: Lindsay A. FranklinGenre: Christian Fantasy, Action & AdventureRelease Date: May 19, 2020Redeeming the past is a fatal quest.
In the wake of a deadly coup, the capital city of Urian has descended
into chaos. Heartbreak and bloodshed await Tanwen and her friends as
they discover the unlikeliest leader now rules Tir.
If they want to save the realm, Tannie and the Corsyth weavers must
rescue Queen Braith and unmask the Master, ending the strife once and
for all. But the success of their hunt depends upon an ally no one
trusts.
The Master has a new target in sight: fragile, trauma-scarred Digwyn,
whose unique weaving ability could turn the tide of any war. When the
desire for vengeance proves too powerful for Digwyn to resist, Tanwen
must face a terrifying truth: the fate of Tir rests in the hands of a
volatile, shattered girl.

"The Story Hunter" by Lindsay A. Franklin is the third in the series. I really recommend reading the books in order.

This book kept me reading to the end but I have to say that part s of the book did not appeal to me at all but it was interesting toward the middle part of the book when the plot and why was reveal.

As in all books, there are characters I really wanted to befriend while others I wished would be crushed.

I recommend this series to readers of fantasy. This series might have been more appealing to me if I was watching instead of reading, I would love to see the ribbons of colors and the story objects that turn into crystal objects.

I was given a complimentary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit. They opinions are my own.

About the Author

Lindsay A. Franklin
is a Carol Award–winning author, freelance editor, and homeschooling
mom of three. She would wear pajama pants all the time if it were
socially acceptable. Lindsay lives in her native San Diego with her
scruffy-looking nerf-herder husband, their precious geeklings, three
demanding thunder pillows (a.k.a. cats), and a stuffed marsupial named
Wombatman.

More from Lindsay

Someone asked me recently where my story ideas come from. In fact,
that’s one of the author questions I get asked most often. Honestly, the
answer is different for every single project I’ve worked on, every
single thing I’ve written. I’ve gotten ideas from news headlines, from
dreams, from random musings while washing dishes. I even got an idea for
a novel from a throwaway remark made by an editor teaching a workshop
(that’s how The Story Peddler started).
The idea for The Story Hunter started with a title that turned into a girl.
After The Weaver Trilogy was acquired, my publisher and I
brainstormed a list of titles for books two and three in the series. My
editor loved the title The Story Peddler and wanted to keep that format
for subsequent books. On his brainstorming list was the title The Story
Thief. Obviously, this title did not make it all the way to publication.
The middle-grade best-selling series Story Thieves wasn’t on our radar
at the time, and once it was, I knew we would have to work with a
different title (and I absolutely love the title The Story Hunter, so
there’s no lingering sadness over here). But the moment I saw that
phrase, The Story Thief, a new character popped into my head. It was one
of those rare instances when a complete person arrives in my
imagination all at once. I knew who she was, what she wanted, and what
her unique gift would be. She was Diggy, my story thief, and I knew book
three would belong to her.
There were many things I loved about writing this final installment
of The Weaver Trilogy but none more than getting to write my story
thief’s journey. That’s her hand on the cover of the book, stealing
lightning and battling her inner monsters. Though I knew who Diggy was
the moment I imagined her, I wasn’t sure how her story was going to end
until I wrote it. I can recall saying to my best friend during Hunter’s
writing process, “I don’t know if Diggy is going to be okay.” Her
backstory is very difficult and deeply personal to me. When we’re facing
the kind of odds Diggy is facing, sometimes we don’t win. And even if
we do, rarely do we come out unscathed. So I built the book around that
question: is Diggy going to be okay? And I didn’t know the answer until I
scribbled it down on my outline.
When readers reach The End for the final time in this series, I hope
they will feel I’ve done Diggy’s story—and the stories of all my beloved
Weaver characters— justice.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lindsay is giving
away the grand prize package of a signed set of The Weaver Trilogy
paperbacks, set of four character cards with art by Laura Hollingsworth,
set of three Weaver-themed Novelly Yours candles (The Corsyth, The
Cethorelle, and The Craigyl), an “I Ship It Mor” enamel pin designed by
Dust & Pages, Custom tea tins from Adagio Tea (Braith’s Blend and
Diggy’s Spikefruit), and an assortment of bookmarks, stickers, and art
prints!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

Friday, May 29, 2020

About the Book

When a pastor’s son saves her life, can a prodigal daughter dare to believe in second chances?
Noah Shaw is almost thirty and he still doesn’t know what he wants to be when he grows up. Torn between running his business as a limo driver for Hollywood’s elite, and feeling called to ministry, he prays for direction. But he never expects that direction to include finding a woman near-death on the front steps of his father’s church.

Hannah left her family and her faith when she moved to Hollywood looking for adventure. Instead of finding fame in the movies, she was lured into the life of an exotic dancer. Hopeless and ashamed, suicide seems like her only escape. Until the night Noah saves her life.

The Shaw family welcomes her into their home and gives her a chance to start over. When the shadows of her former life threaten to expose her past, she must choose between running away or fighting for the new life she’s built and the man she’s grown to love.

I truly loved "Made in Hollywood"by Michelle Keener. While reading it and towards the end of the book I was reminded of the Biblical story of the Prodigal Son. This book also kept mentioning the two Biblical scriptures that I repeat to myself daily, Jeremiah 29:11 and Isaiah 41:10.

At first, when I started reading this book I was no way am I reading this because it was about a woman being found after she tempted suicide, and I was reminder of my own attempts. But I am really glad I kept reading.

This book clearly is a story that shows we are never alone, even when we don't think God is there. It also clearly shows that our sins are never too much for God to forgive.

Yes, this book starts out with a hard subject and deals with an exotic dancer, but the book is a clean read and I recommend it to all reader who reads Christian romance.

I wish I know the Shaw family personally. This is the second book with them as the main characters and this is a wonderful story of forgiveness and what true love really is. It is also a story of having a second chance of love. If you haven't read the first book, I really urge you too but you will enjoy this story without reading the first. I am eagerly awaiting the third book.

Yes, I am saying it again, this series would make a great television miniseries. I think it would be better than "This Is Us" because there would be no cursing if it was actually based on the books.

I really really think this is my favorite book of 2020.

I was given a complimentary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are my own.

About the Author

Michelle Keener is a wife, mom, and the author of five books. She lives in Southern California with her retired Marine husband, their two children, and one spoiled dog. When she isn’t writing, she is busy homeschooling, teaching creative writing workshops, or baking something involving chocolate.

More from Michelle

The Story of a Prodigal Daughter

Made in Hollywood is the sequel to my first Christian romance novel Mission Hollywood. It’s the story of Lily’s brother Noah and his search for love and direction. In the book, Noah meets a young girl who has been through some truly dark and terrible places. She’s been wounded, abused, and she’s lost hope. She’s worried that her past is too much for God to forgive, and that she’s fallen too far and doesn’t deserve God’s grace. She is a prodigal daughter lost on the streets of Hollywood.

One of the reasons I wrote Made in Hollywood (aside from the fact that I just adore Noah) is to be a reminder that God never gives up on us. Just like the story of the Prodigal Son, if we turn back to God, He will run to us and bring us home.

There is no place so dark that God light can’t reach.

There is no sin, no mistake, no circumstance that can separate us from the love of God. His arms are always open to us. His love is unchanging, unending, and unfailing. His amazing grace reaches the lost and restores what was broken. His love binds our wounds and heals our past. What the enemy intended for evil, God will turn to good.It’s a truth Hannah had to learn. It’s a truth I had to learn. And it’s a truth God wants His people to share. God’s love never fails.
I hope you enjoy Made in Hollywood!

Thursday, May 28, 2020

When I Meet You Kick-Off Package

About the Book

Book: When I Meet YouAuthor: Olivia NewportGenre: Christian fictionRelease Date: May, 2020Book 3 in the Tree of Life Series: A Father-Daughter Genealogy Team Link Faith Journeys on Family Trees
A trunk abandoned at Denver’s Union Station more than a century ago
leads Jillian and Nolan to untangle the mystery of its
contents—including correspondence with the head of Pinkerton’s National
Detective Agency Denver office. While Nolan digs into the legalities of
the findings, Jillian searches for the descendants of a stolen identity
who might not be who they think they are on Colorado ranch land. When
Drew seems anxious to hear what Jillian has to say but his Great Aunt
Min slams the subject closed—twice—Jillian is all the more determined to
find out what happened to the woman who never claimed her luggage, why
Min doesn’t want to talk about it, and what will happen for Drew if he
gets the answers he seeks.When I Meet You is the third book in the Tree of Life series
by Olivia Newport. You’ll want to return to the lovely Colorado
mountain town of Canyon Mines again and again to explore and celebrate
unforgettable family stories that will inspire you to connect with your
own family histories and unique faith journeys.

"When I Meet You" by Olivia Newport is the third book in the "Tree of Life" series and it is also my favorite of the three.

This is truly a story that clearly shows that sometimes things aren't what they appeared.

This book has a lot of food mentioned so you might want a snack while you are eating.

This book made me want a fourth book ( which is coming, but I don't know if it will answer my questions about Jillian's mother's family).

This story is told between split timelines.While reading this story I was reminded of a trunk that my grandmother ( my father's mom) had gifted to me and I had to store in the garage and it got ruin, It didn't have any items in it from her past, but I remember she used to store her doll collection in it, Now, I am wondering where that collection went. This series really makes me want to start doing my own geology research once again. I had started it and got lost so I gave it up. There was a few pages I had to skip because Nolan sings in a foreign language, but it didn't really take away from the story. It fact it did the opposite and made it more interesting. I was given a complimentary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit . These opinions are my own.

About the Author

Olivia
Newport’s novels twist through time to find where faith and passions
meet. Her husband and twentysomething children provide welcome
distraction from the people stomping through her head on their way into
her books. She chases joy in stunning Colorado at the foot of Pikes
Peak.

More from Olivia

Stolen Identity or Stolen Secrets?

Years ago I made a business trip to a country in Asia. Somehow I
managed to pack for two weeks in carry-on luggage. This was before
everyone started carrying electronic devices that required a bag of
their own, and the impoverished area I visited had only intermittent
electricity anyway.

When it was time to come home, my luggage met the requirements to
keep it with me as I traveled halfway around the world through several
airports. But at the boarding gate, a woman pushed a cart stacked with
six oversized and overstuffed suitcases, insisting she had to take all
of them on the plane. Her argument was that she couldn’t risk losing her
personal belongings. She was moving back to the States, this was
everything she owned, and she just wasn’t having this nonsense about
abiding by the same limitations as the other 300 people in line or that
none of those bags would fit in an overhead compartment anyway. The
airline staff began waving people around her to get the large aircraft
boarded on time for an international flight. She was one of the last
people to take her seat—without her bags.

I admit I prefer keeping my bags with me and getting in and out of
airports quickly. And once my bags didn’t come off the same plane I did,
and it took a few hours for them to be delivered to me.

But what happens to truly unclaimed baggage? One-half to one percent
of baggage that goes through American airports is never claimed.
Airlines will try for ninety days to find the owners. If they can’t,
they have to do something with it. Generally it’s sold, sight unseen, to
the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Alabama. There it is opened and sorted
into what can be cleaned and sold in their store, what might be donated,
and what has no value and is disposed of as trash. They find some
pretty interesting things!

But my brain goes back to the curious question of why the baggage is unclaimed in the first place.

It’s not just because the airline lost it. We’ve all seen the lines
of suitcases that baggage handlers remove from the circling conveyer
belt because they’ve been around enough times that it’s obvious no one
is there to pick them up after the flight. People got off the plane and
left the airport without their bags. Why?

My new book, When I Meet You, raises the same question about
travel in the railroad era. A trunk abandoned at Denver’s Union Station
more than a century ago surfaces, leading genealogist Jillian and her
lawyer father, Nolan, to untangle the mystery of its contents—including
correspondence with the head of Pinkerton’s National Detective Agency
Denver office. While Nolan digs into the legalities of the findings,
Jillian searches for the descendants of a stolen identity who might not
be who they think they are on Colorado ranch land. When Drew seems
anxious to hear what Jillian has to say but his Great Aunt Min slams the
subject closed—twice—Jillian is all the more determined to find out
what happened to the woman who never claimed her luggage, why Min
doesn’t want to talk about it, and what will happen for Drew if he gets
the answers he seeks.When I Meet You is the third book in the Tree of Life
series. Return to the lovely Colorado mountain town of Canyon Mines
again and again to explore and celebrate unforgettable family stories
that will inspire you to connect with your own family histories and
unique faith journeys.